Journey to $80 Million: Crystal Etienne’s Ruby Love Adventure
Wonder what it takes to build an $80M company from scratch? Join Victoria Jenn in this inspiring episode with Crystal Etienne, the CEO and founder of Ruby Love. Crystal shares her journey and lessons learned from corporate to entrepreneur and how she built an empire with her hubby.
Crystal Etienne's story is a testament to resilience, innovation, and the power of addressing unmet needs in the market. Her experiences provide invaluable insights for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, business growth, and the dynamics of working with significant financial backing.
Victoria Jenn and Crystal Etienne discuss:
Crystal's evolution from a corporate CFO to an entrepreneur, and the founding story of Ruby Love.
The unique challenges of navigating the business world as a Black woman and securing a $15 million investment.
Building a successful business alongside a spouse, and the importance of respect and communication in such partnerships.
The misconceptions about entrepreneurs and the reality of managing business growth and investor expectations.
The personal and professional growth Crystal experienced through her entrepreneurial journey, and the impact of her work in the feminine care industry.
About Crystal Etienne:
Crystal Etienne is the founder of Ruby Love and co-owner of Cage Co, an investment firm she runs with her husband, Gene Etienne. Cage Co, which stands for Crystal and Gene Etienne, primarily invests in black women entrepreneurs, offering what Crystal describes as "soil funding," ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. This initiative aims to support businesses in their earliest stages, particularly for those without access to traditional friends and family funding. In addition, Crystal established Black Women Conversations, a project inspired by Cage Co, where she invites around 30 self-made women of various professional levels to her home.
Follow Crystal Etienne:
https://www.instagram.com/iamcrystaletienne
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The Business of Love and Money ft. Lauren Taylor, Calvin Souder, Crystal Etienne
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Full Transcript:
What's up, mi gente? Welcome back to another episode of Banking on Cultura. I'm super hype about today's guest because, I mean, I'm hype about all my guests, but today in particular because we are new friends. And I was introduced to this woman through another friend, Jatali. Shout out to Jatali.
[00:01:25] And she opened her home. To host a gorgeous brunch on a Sunday, rainy ass afternoon. I was like, are we still having this event? Because it literally, y'all, it was like raining crazy. but something in me was like, you know what? I have to go to this event. I have to make it happen. I felt like God was calling me to this event.
[00:01:46] He was like, you got to go girl. So go and I'm so happy that I did because got the honor. And pleasure to meet none other than this amazing woman, Crystal. Thank you so much for being on Banging on
[00:01:57] Crystal Etienne: Cultura. Absolutely. Thank you. And thank you for [00:02:00] opening your home. Absolutely. I mean,
[00:02:03] Victoria Jenn: it was like so gorgeous.
[00:02:04] It was on Long Island. It was beautiful. But introduce yourself to the people because I want them to know who you are. And then I'm going to share more of the scoop of behind the scenes
[00:02:12] Crystal Etienne: of how we met. Okay. So, my name is Crystal Etienne. I am the CEO and I am the founder of Ruby Love. I am also, I have an investment firm with my husband, Gene Etienne.
[00:02:24] It is called Cage Co, which is actually, people always think it's like something crazy, but it's actually just and Gene Etienne. Okay. So it's cageandco. com. We invest in, black women. We invest like a thousand dollars to like 25, 000. into, women's businesses that are just starting, like literally, I call it like soil funding instead of like pre seed or seed.
[00:02:47] It's literally soil for those people who don't have like the friends and family. And that is what my husband and. I do. It's with our own funds. and then I have black women conversations, which is I started because of CAGE. And that [00:03:00] is where I bring about like 30 women together in my home.
[00:03:04] and they're at all different types of levels. The majority of the women already self made, at higher levels. Probably some you may not even heard of, you probably just use their product and that's like kind of like me. Like some people, cause I stay in the background. Some people don't know that I built like this 80 million company and then I put people who are like from my company, like from, like from our investment firm in the room just to see, just so they could see, like, I know you're trying to get to like 80 million or 100 million, but if you did 200 million.
[00:03:34] We are all the same and we all struggle with something and we all just need love and we all just need friends. And that's what I do.
[00:03:43] Victoria Jenn: And I love that. And you know, one of the things that gravitated me towards you was, I mean, obviously the gorgeousness of the house, but that's all service level. And. You know, you don't really know someone by, I mean, I feel like you can get to know somebody by entering their home for sure.
[00:03:58] Yes. I think like [00:04:00] character wise, what, what drew me to you, of course, was you hosting us in your beautiful estate. Cause that's what it is. It's an estate like. Where you see in the movies, there was like a golf cart, like in the driveway. So you could get around the grounds, like in a state. Okay. but when I knew you was a real one was when I saw that you had your name tatted on your arm.
[00:04:23] And I was like, you know what? I know I'm gonna get along with this woman because that speaks to the era you were born in, where you are from, and also that you'll never forget your roots. Yeah. Because then you would have removed that thing, right? A long time ago, but I, I, it really just created this calmness.
[00:04:43] I don't know if anyone else picked up on that, but at least for me, I was like, okay, I know she's cool. Like, I know she's
[00:04:48] Crystal Etienne: down to earth. Yeah, usually I get that I'm mean, because I just have, like, this mean face. If I'm not smiling, that's why I smile all the time, usually. Because if I'm not smiling, people think I'm mean.
[00:04:57] And I'm, like, the nicest. I am like the nicest [00:05:00] person ever.
[00:05:01] Victoria Jenn: You super cool. I mean, my interaction with you was
[00:05:04] Crystal Etienne: amazing. I hear that all the time. Once I get past the mean face.
[00:05:07] Victoria Jenn: Yeah. No, you smiled at me when I walked in, honey. I was like, Hi. You are great hostess with the mostest. Thank you. so where does this hosting come from?
[00:05:15] Because. You host a lot of events in your gorgeous home. Like, where does this come from? Is this, like, cultural?
[00:05:21] Crystal Etienne: Like, where did you get this? No, I just like to celebrate. Okay. I will celebrate anything. I've always been celebrated by, like, my mother and my father. and I've just passed it on to my kids.
[00:05:32] Like, I celebrate everything. I think that celebration is just, it just makes you feel good. Totally. So I celebrate everything and all my friends know it. Like, we, like, I do events, but most of the time it's just, My friends are at my house all the time. Like, they could be at my house in like three hours.
[00:05:47] Yeah. I just, so they know, I just celebrate everything. Like you could tell me like one little thing about you and I'll be like, no, we need to celebrate that because it's such, it's just such a good feeling. The [00:06:00] events I just started doing really is new, from my investment firm celebrating. I've been celebrating my whole life.
[00:06:07] Victoria Jenn: I love that. Where is your last name from?
[00:06:10] Crystal Etienne: So it's from my husband and he's Haitian. Haitian. Okay. Got it. So it's a French last name. Okay.
[00:06:15] Victoria Jenn: Okay. Bourgeoisie. I love that. so. Do you ever get a little nervous about like hosting
[00:06:22] Crystal Etienne: strangers in your home? No, because everyone is vetted and anyone who, and when I say vetted, it's not like you're researched.
[00:06:29] Yeah, yeah. Anyone who knows me knows who can come to my house. Knows who to bring up, even around me, even if it's not at my house, if I was doing it somewhere else, everyone knows like my personality and like how I am, because I hear all the time that I'm very cool. and I know that I speak my mind. So I'm not for everybody and everybody is not for me.
[00:06:49] So anyone who knows me from being around me one time, probably you, like you've been to my house one time. If you met someone and they were like, Oh, I want to come with you to her house. If I just [00:07:00] invited you, be like, now that person's not good. I don't know if
[00:07:03] Victoria Jenn: you got the right
[00:07:03] Crystal Etienne: flavor. Yes. So I've never, ever had a problem
[00:07:07] I was 22 when I brought my first house. I've never had a problem with bringing any of, anyone who knew me, bringing somebody to my house that, and I'm always fine with it because I know that people who know me know like, okay, like she will mesh with Crystal or Crystal will love her or like Crystal needs to help her.
[00:07:24] So it's always. That I've never had an issue. Yeah,
[00:07:27] Victoria Jenn: I mean, I have to tell you, and I toss this up to Jatali and your team, because I'm pretty sure you guys selected like who could come to that event. But no, Jatali gave the list. OK, well, Jatali, she did her thing, girl, because it was very curated in terms of diversity of yes, ladies that were in the building, the energy, the love, the.
[00:07:47] Accolades. Like it was just super dope and amazing. and shout out to you and the team for curating just a special space for all to connect. And I was super inspired from that experience and [00:08:00] meeting the amazing ladies. And this is why it's so important, guys, when you are and about never miss an opportunity to connect with someone on a human level, because I think that's super important because once you're able to engage on a human level, it's easier to build a relationship.
[00:08:16] Right. And I think that event in particular, the way that it was curated, everyone dressed so nicely, the music, the live music, the cocktails, like it just allowed for people to just become calm and allow themselves to be And I think that's why everybody was able to connect, at least for me. And also when I'm in the spaces, I, I try my best to make sure that it's not a wasted opportunity to build a new relationship and to get to know someone new, which is why you're here.
[00:08:53] I'm thinking on cultura and your story is just. It's amazing and powerful and we're going to [00:09:00] break into that today because I want to get more of the behind the scenes, like building an 80 million company is, is not easy. And on top of that, you did that with your boo thing, so I'm pretty sure that brings a whole nother layer of, of interesting obstacles.
[00:09:18] And let's get into that a little bit. Like why did you decide, how did this all
[00:09:22] Crystal Etienne: begin? which one? Ruby love. Ruby love. Yes. Okay. So Ruby love started in. Like the summer of 2015, I was just aggravated. The company didn't start yet. So tell the people what Ruby Love is so they know. Yeah, so Ruby Love is period apparel.
[00:09:35] So I'm the inventor of period swimwear, period sleepwear, things like that. So I have a special, I developed a special gut. Gusset that collects your flow, and it also will hold a sanitary pad. And we also sell like double sided pads. So it's basically if you leak, we got you in any situation. If you're swimming, if you want to sleep, if you're working [00:10:00] out, I created all of that.
[00:10:01] I didn't actually create period underwear that was already. We developed probably in like 2010, but our gusset is completely different. But I am the inventor of period sleepwear, swimwear, and activewear.
[00:10:15] Victoria Jenn: Okay. So, but you started, you were in corporate.
[00:10:19] Crystal Etienne: Yes. So I previously was a controller, like a CFO. I was running like accounting department.
[00:10:25] Oh, so you already
[00:10:25] Victoria Jenn: had the background with numbers for business, all of that for business. Yes. Yes. Which I'm pretty sure was like a super helpful transfer
[00:10:32] Crystal Etienne: to you
[00:10:33] Victoria Jenn: going out on your own. So we, before we get into the nitty gritty, I want some bon chinche. Okay. So bon chinche is like some tea for us to get to know maybe something we can't Google about you.
[00:10:45] Some
[00:10:45] Crystal Etienne: chisme. Okay. Okay, so I can give something personal because I have such a strong personality that people do not know that I am the biggest scaredy cat. Really? Yes. I am scared of everything. I'm scared of fire. I am scared of [00:11:00] dogs.
[00:11:00] Victoria Jenn: I mean, I'm scared of fire, too.
[00:11:02] Crystal Etienne: I am scared of everything. I am scared of dark.
[00:11:05] I am scared. I'm scared. I'm the biggest scaredy cat. Really? Yes. And because I have such a strong personality, people always think that, like, I'm, like, ready. And I'm like, no, I don't want to go over there. That is interesting. I like check the gas like 50 times.
[00:11:21] Victoria Jenn: Interesting. That is interesting because I definitely, especially after learning more about you, and I'm still getting to know you on a personal level, but like if you just look at professional and what you see out there, fearlessness is what comes to
[00:11:34] Crystal Etienne: mind.
[00:11:34] Yes.
[00:11:37] Victoria Jenn: That's what comes to mind. Okay. Interesting. Okay. So I want to get back to this actually later in the conversation, because I think this is so important about how this facade and how we present ourselves to the world and how people perceive us versus. Who we truly are because I get that a lot. I get that like, Oh, you have such a strong personality.
[00:11:57] You're so strong, but I'm a teddy bear. Like [00:12:00] I'm good inside. You know, I got the third tears all the time and all of that. so, so that's interesting because I want to see how that parlays in business. But let's, let's take people on the journey on the timeline. So CFO running an accounting division. And at what point did you decide that you wanted
[00:12:18] Crystal Etienne: to start this company when I thought of the idea.
[00:12:20] So I was in 2015, like the summer of 2015, I was just aggravated with my period. Like I was, I had it. I was watching TV. I believe I was, I was watching Wendy Williams and I was laying on the bed. Yes. How you doing? I miss her. Yeah, I know. So do I. And I literally looked down and I was like laying on my bed.
[00:12:40] And my, the wings was like sticking out of my underwear and I was like, this is like some real bullshit. This ain't cute. No, it's not cute at all. And men don't care. Like they really don't. But for some reason with us, like I had my period since I was 11 and I was like, why am I still dealing with this?
[00:12:57] Like why? And I just said, you know [00:13:00] what? I need to, I need to figure out something like to, so I don't have to see that. And I got up and I just like drew. A picture, like a, just a underwear. I don't even think it was an underwear I drew because I don't know how to draw. It was something and I just drew like a hole in a underwear in like a gusset.
[00:13:17] And I said, I want something to be able to hide my pad. So when I first launched the product, it didn't even have any absorption or anything in it. And then right after that, I wrote the patent. I literally like wrote the patent myself.
[00:13:29] Victoria Jenn: While you were still at work, like you were still working, doing this on the side.
[00:13:33] And then I quit.
[00:13:35] Crystal Etienne: But I told my husband when he got home and he, he's Haitian, he's Caribbean. And he was like, no, like you make six figures, like you need that. And I really went full in 2016. I went full out with it. I wrote the patent in two, after I came up with the idea, I didn't launch anything. I wrote the patent first, and then I was coming to the city in Manhattan, like to find like someone to make.
[00:13:58] To develop the product and [00:14:00] that probably took like a couple of months and then I launched it 2016
[00:14:03] Victoria Jenn: So what is the process of writing a patent?
[00:14:06] Crystal Etienne: Like what is that? So writing a patent is a lot But I said, you know what I said I don't want to use any of my money because I called some patent attorneys and they are expensive Like how much?
[00:14:18] so they wanted retainers just of like 6, 000 like a month or no, no, no, just to just to write it. Oh, but it's really not now that I'm like a few years and now it's it's really not 6, 000. Like there's so many iterations. So I called the USPTO office and they said that there's mistakes. They started explaining to me like there's mistakes all the time.
[00:14:37] And I was like, you know what, like it ain't gonna be just 6, 000. And I also didn't want to use the 6, 000. This thing is going to wind up being. Like 50, 000. I was like, you know what? I'm going to write it myself. And if you call or if you go, I actually moved, I actually went to Virginia where they were at the time.
[00:14:53] I hope they're still there. But I was in 2015, the summer of 2015, their headquarter there. But if you call [00:15:00] on the phone, They will give you all types of information. If you pull other patents, you can see like how it's written, because it's a particular type of format. And I really sat at my dining room table for about like 30 to 40 days.
[00:15:12] And I wrote the patent and I submitted it all myself. I literally paid. Whatever it was back then, I think it was like four hundred dollars, like four hundred and something dollars to submit that patent and I got my patent was issued. I think like two years ago. Wow. With
[00:15:26] Victoria Jenn: no law
[00:15:27] Crystal Etienne: background or any of that.
[00:15:28] No, I did eventually have to use an attorney. Okay. that's why I said that 6, 000 wasn't going to be 6, 000 So, like, two years ago, I had found, well, I got an answer the first time. I answered it, like, two times, like, because they'll, they'll send you something, but it takes so long. It's like years. And then, What do you mean? It's like
[00:15:45] Victoria Jenn: years to get the
[00:15:46] Crystal Etienne: patent you're talking about? So when, so when you first, it's like. Submit it. Okay. The patent. You're waiting. Like the application to get the patent. Yeah. Okay. Got it. Okay. So I submitted the application. Months, I heard nothing. Like probably like [00:16:00] a year, I heard nothing.
[00:16:01] And then they sent me something back. I don't remember what the first one was. It was like, Oh, you know, do you need to fix this or whatever? So I fixed that myself. Then maybe like a year later, like a six months to eight months later, another thing came in. And by. 2019, I was so busy like with my company, I was like, I can't keep fixing this.
[00:16:19] And that's when I got an attorney and that's when I got a trademark attorney like to just fix it. But I kept submitting it and myself like I would have stayed with it. It would have just been straight, but I wrote it, submitted it, everything. Myself. Wow. They just did the, like the final corrections of whatever they were sending back.
[00:16:36] So what
[00:16:37] Victoria Jenn: were you doing during the time of you applying for the patent and growing your business at the same time? Like, were you talking to anybody about it? Were you
[00:16:44] Crystal Etienne: creating products? No, no, no. You can launch it. Oh, okay. It was patent pending. All you had to do at that time was just say patent pending.
[00:16:49] Got it. Once you submit the application, I learned this from the USPTO, once you submit the application and it's submitted, you can start saying your patent is patent pending. Okay.
[00:16:58] Victoria Jenn: Yeah. Okay. [00:17:00] That's like with trademark. Trademark pending, right? Because
[00:17:03] Crystal Etienne: it takes a while for your trademark. Yes. You just can't say, like, they will actually take your patent.
[00:17:05] You can't. These are some type of rule. Like, say if I would have been lying and saying, oh, it's patented, but it really wasn't, like you didn't get that seal, then, you could get in trouble for that. But once you submit it, it's patent pending. So did you
[00:17:18] Victoria Jenn: leave your corporate gig before you started making money in the business?
[00:17:22] Yeah. Okay. why did you decide like, okay, this is it? Because I'm a risk
[00:17:26] Crystal Etienne: taker.
[00:17:26] /
[00:17:26] Crystal Etienne: [00:18:00] [00:19:00] Okay. Which is really crazy because I'm a scaredy cat, but I'm a risk taker. This is what I'm
[00:19:06] Victoria Jenn: trying to get at. I'm like, wait, hold on. Like,
[00:19:08] Crystal Etienne: everything that... I've always been a risk taker since I was younger.
[00:19:11] Okay. Because I know that if I lose it all, I could build myself back up. Hmm. Where does that come from? I think my father. Okay. I think my father is from Harlem. We don't give a nothing.
[00:19:25] Victoria Jenn: Shout out to Harlem. Shout out to New York. And you're from Queens, right? I'm from Queens. We're both from Queens. So we connected on that as well.
[00:19:32] Queens girls. okay. So got that from dad. Okay, so you decided to quit. You're a risk taker. This is what you're doing. Hubby was like, you crazy girl. And you was like, I don't care. I'm doing this. Okay. So when did shit start getting real?
[00:19:45] Crystal Etienne: Like when? 2016. Okay. So, March. Of 2016, because when I first launched in January, I really launched like the end of 2015, like December.
[00:19:57] Okay. like it was selling [00:20:00] like really well, like what my competitor, like I was so small, I used to just make sure that I was like right where they were, and they were selling like these expensive ass underwear, and I was like, you know, I can sell myself cheaper. Hold on, hold on.
[00:20:12] Victoria Jenn: Let's, I want to take folks step by step because...
[00:20:14] Yes. This is a huge deal because this started like in your living room, essentially, bootstrapped. Bootstraps. So no outside funding. Yep. So let's take them through the process. Okay, at corporate, quit, decided you're doing your own thing, decided to
[00:20:29] Crystal Etienne: apply for the patent. Yep. Then did a website. Then did a website.
[00:20:32] Okay. So you decided. It was absolutely horrible, but it was selling. Okay. People were buying from it.
[00:20:37] Victoria Jenn: Okay. I like that nugget because a lot of people usually wait for everything to be perfect. No. For their brand colors, for the font, for the graphics. Absolutely. All of that before they start selling. So you was like, we're doing skeleton website.
[00:20:50] We got to start selling. Yep.
[00:20:52] Crystal Etienne: Okay. I figured that out. got the, got it live and then I just started selling and I had to figure out how to sell cause I had no marketing background. [00:21:00]
[00:21:00] Victoria Jenn: Wait, did you start selling like right away before, but did you have product already in inventory?
[00:21:06] Crystal Etienne: Yeah. So I had like small batches.
[00:21:07] So I had my, I was manufactured in New York. Oh, like I found the factories here in New York. My factory was actually in Brooklyn. So I was able to get. Like at that time I was ordering like 30 pieces, like at a time. going from Long Island to Brooklyn every day.
[00:21:23] Victoria Jenn: So to get it manufactured, you went and brought like your concept of the design to a manufacturer and he was like,
[00:21:30] Crystal Etienne: create this for us.
[00:21:31] I called like factories and I was like, I want to get this made. And they would tell you, just come down. They like money. Yeah.
[00:21:37] Victoria Jenn: How much did it cost to like
[00:21:38] get
[00:21:38] Crystal Etienne: samples and stuff? So my first samples I did, cause I had called like almost every factory out here. In New York, like in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
[00:21:46] You was on the phone, girl. You was calling. I was. And I was getting on the train. And I was getting on the railroad to come out here and walking up in them. And I was like, listen, I need to get this made. Like, could you draw it? So I found like four, yeah, it was four factories that I found to [00:22:00] make it.
[00:22:00] Okay. And they all told me different prices. and I said, you know what? I'm gonna let them all make it. I think the cheapest I got, it was like 100 and then there was a real expensive one I think at that time. I think it was like 1, Like 000. But I got them all made. Okay. and then I chose the best manufacturer to go with and that's the one I went with.
[00:22:20] Interesting. Okay.
[00:22:21] Victoria Jenn: So you went through, got samples. Yes. From each of these manufacturers. Essentially put them all on an interview. Yeah. And then you decided. Yes. To go with the best one.
[00:22:31] Crystal Etienne: That I felt
[00:22:31] Victoria Jenn: was the best one. That you felt was the best one. Ordered like 30 to 50. Like 30. Products. Okay. And you're on the site.
[00:22:39] You're live.
[00:22:39] Crystal Etienne: Yep. Then I started selling it. Okay.
[00:22:41] Victoria Jenn: So. How do people know you
[00:22:43] Crystal Etienne: existed? So, when you first put the website out, nobody come. I saw that like one day. So I was like, okay, I need to figure this out. Like, I have no marketing background, but I'm gonna figure this out. And then I just started, I think I've, I Cause I had no social media [00:23:00] at the time.
[00:23:00] So I think I started Googling like Google used to be my best friend. I Google like, how do you get sales? How do you, show an ad? And I knew things were coming in my feed. Like, like I didn't really have a feed cause I didn't have social media, but stuff would target me if I was looking online in that way.
[00:23:16] So say for instance, if I was reading an article from like Teen Vogue or something, you know how you always, now I know what it is then, but back then I didn't know what it was, but I was like, that's showing up. Some type of way and I googled it and then it told me to like, that you can advertise on Facebook.
[00:23:30] So I was like, okay, and Instagram back then wasn't really big, like in 2015, it really wasn't like it was big for some people, but not for really advertising. So it was really like basically Facebook and Google and I just figured it out. I called Google, they had a number back then. I don't know if they have it now and I was like, I want to set up an account and their reps will always.
[00:23:51] Call you and bother you. So they helped me set those up like keywords and search words. And then, that's when they started telling me about my [00:24:00] competitors and I started looking them up. And then that's when I found out like how, just to advertise like the small basic advertising. Mm-Hmm. . And I would just be right where my, my competitor at the time, I had a big competitor at the time too, where they were, 'cause they had raised like $2.5 million and I was like, you know what, wherever they are, you gonna see.
[00:24:18] My stuff. You don't see my website. You mean wherever they
[00:24:20] Victoria Jenn: were advertising, that's where you were going to advertise? Yes. Okay, got it. I think that Google and maybe Facebook as well have like free resources even now that you're able to tap into. for you to learn this stuff. So you ain't gotta pay someone 10, 000 to teach you how to run an ad.
[00:24:36] Crystal Etienne: Absolutely not.
[00:24:37] Victoria Jenn: You can call up and figure it out yourself. okay. So this is the true definition of bootstrapping. True definition. Like, you find it out on your own. Yes. and you do the work essentially. Okay, so you were running ads.
[00:24:51] Crystal Etienne: You learned how to run ads. Yes, I was doing like five dollars a day.
[00:24:55] Okay, okay.
[00:24:56] Victoria Jenn: And How did you figure that out? Because right now [00:25:00] I'm doing ads and it's complicated as hell. So
[00:25:02] Crystal Etienne: back then, I know, it was complicated to me then. So back then I knew nothing about audience. I knew nothing about ROAS. I knew none of that stuff. I just knew that I wanted my ads to like show up in somebody's feed and when you're on Facebook, when you do Facebook, you have to get a Facebook account.
[00:25:20] So I had got a Facebook account just for that because you have, you have no choice but to have one. So I just, I don't know. I just thought it like doing back then it was different because they got in so much trouble for it, but you can target like people's interests. So it was periods, right? So I would just, I don't remember what I used to use.
[00:25:41] I would just think of things that a woman like what a period would be looking for, like always or like things like that or whoever my customer base, who I thought my customer base was at the time. and then it just, I started getting sales. And then, Facebook, I think, back then, would easily, like, just put you, [00:26:00] like, if you looked at my competitor, obviously you're interested.
[00:26:03] So their algorithm would do it. Google was a little different. Google was actually easier for me because those are just keywords. So I would just do the keywords that I think somebody's gonna look for. Have my period. Swimming on my period. Things like that. I would do stuff like that. So you would put those
[00:26:18] Victoria Jenn: keywords in, like, your caption for the ad?
[00:26:20] Crystal Etienne: No, I would target those words. I would use those keywords because if you're Googling, you're going to Google that. And back then in 2016, people were using, like people that were advertised, they were really only using like words. I was using sentences because I started thinking about how I, if I'm searching for something, how I search for, and I started using those.
[00:26:40] So from my Google ads and my Facebook ads, everything just started growing and I went viral in March of 2016. Why? With my period swimwear. Why? Because since the sales were coming in, I always knew what products I wanted to, launch. Mm hmm. From the beginning, like the first, first beginning, I only had underwear, like what Aragusset.[00:27:00]
[00:27:00] Okay. And then the sales were coming in. So I was like, Oh, I went to my manufacturer. I was like, can you make this? And I started making my swimwear. Like I, I, I perfected it. I did everything with it. And then I was able to launch it in Teen Vogue. picked it up and I went viral and we've been on since March of 2016 on a upward since then.
[00:27:20] Victoria Jenn: Okay. What were your ads? Like what were
[00:27:23] Crystal Etienne: they? back then. So the Google ads was like keywords. So if you search for a keyword, you would see my company come up like your website. So say period under period panties was very big back there. So say period panties. You would search period panties. I would come, my competitor would be there.
[00:27:36] I couldn't be at the top and I couldn't. I couldn't defeat with them because they had that 2. 5 million and that they had clothes. So I would just make sure that I was on the first page or near them. And it wasn't really that many period companies back then. So it was very easy. So obviously if you're looking for period panties at that time, they would click them obviously first.
[00:27:57] They would see they selling these freaking 40 damn underwear, which I don't [00:28:00] even know somebody who would pay 40 for underwear. But it was a big thing back then. It was kind of period underwear. It was kind of like a new concept. Yeah, yeah. So I was selling mine for 20 bucks. Yeah. Okay.
[00:28:09] Victoria Jenn: Yeah. Okay. And to like rank up on Google, how much that was
[00:28:13] Crystal Etienne: costing you?
[00:28:14] I never paid for ranking. It was just... Well, the ad
[00:28:18] Victoria Jenn: with the keywords, like, did you pay
[00:28:19] Crystal Etienne: for that? So yeah. So you just bid on the words. So you just put, I would put how much I wanted to spend for the day. And then I would just let the algorithm take over. Interesting. Yeah. Interesting.
[00:28:28] Victoria Jenn: It was so much easier back then.
[00:28:30] I feel like now it's the
[00:28:31] Crystal Etienne: privacy stuff. It was much easier back then. The
[00:28:34] Victoria Jenn: competition is crazy. Okay. So, you
[00:28:38] Crystal Etienne: start flying.
[00:28:40] Victoria Jenn: Yeah. You're going viral. Like, what the hell do you have
[00:28:43] Crystal Etienne: to say at that point? so now he started noticing, so after he was, he had his own company, he had his own trucking company. Okay.
[00:28:49] He had three trucks at that time and it, when he was getting off his trucks and like having all his trucks parked at night, like after all of his workers would get off the trucks and things, he would come home and then he would [00:29:00] help me pack.
[00:29:01] my day was crazy back then because my son was even very small. I had to, I used to leave from Long Island to go to the Bronx because I had another manufacturer in the Bronx. I would come to Manhattan to pick up material to bring to the other factory that was in Brooklyn. And then I would make my way, that's what today.
[00:29:18] To this day, I hate the belt because that's how where I would end up from Brooklyn to go back to the belt to get back to Long Island. And sometimes I would just sit and I would meditate in the car if I feel like I can. And I used to have to get back to my son by that time. Then I would have people that wanted, overnight.
[00:29:35] So when I got home, I would get my son off the bus. I would go pack the orders, and then I would have to run to FedEx. And then I get back to my house, and then somebody else ordered another overnight. I got to run back to FedEx. It was crazy back then. I don't know how I did it. Straight hustling. Yeah. So I did that for about, after launching, I did that for Ali for about like six to eight.
[00:29:53] And then I was like, okay, I need to hire someone. So I hired someone to help me. they would come after school, like to pack. [00:30:00] So I still was doing the runs to FedEx and then my husband would come home at night to like help. And then it just kept blowing up, blowing up, blowing up, blowing up, blowing up. So the whole year of 2017, I used to beg him, like, please, like, Can't you just, like, let somebody else run your trucks and come work?
[00:30:16] He said no. Again, he's Caribbean. It took him a little while. And then I finally convinced him in 2018. because at that point, I think we were at, in 2018, we probably was like gross sales, probably at like 5 million, maybe like five, five and a half. And then I think he started taking it serious. So within two years,
[00:30:35] Victoria Jenn: you were at
[00:30:35] Crystal Etienne: 5 million.
[00:30:37] Yeah. In two years, we were really at like over 10 million. Oh, wow. Yeah. Because I raised the fund in 2019. So from 2016. To 2018, we were over $10 million in sales. Wow. That's incredible. Yes. And my husband makes fun of me all the time. 'cause when we first started I used to be like, I just wanna get 10 sales a day,[00:31:00]
[00:31:00] And I said, if we got 20, I'd be okay. Right. I never made it to the 20. I like surpassed that. Yeah. 'cause when I first started I used to probably get like, maybe like five sales a day. Yeah. Like first, like originally like the first two months. Mm-Hmm. like. Five sales, six sales. And that's what I used to tell him.
[00:31:15] He makes fun of me about it to this day. Wow.
[00:31:17] Victoria Jenn: That's amazing. Like
[00:31:20] Crystal Etienne: who would have thought? Yes, I figured out my audience which is the most important when you have anything like, how'd you figure it out? Because I had chat and I used to speak to my audience every day. So who I thought my audience was it was not
[00:31:33] /
[00:31:33] Crystal Etienne: [00:32:00] [00:33:00] So I thought my audience was my competitors audience, which was like Millennials Millennials hate my product like they hate it because it's too thick.
[00:33:18] It's too bulky our Customers are moms with teen and tweens. So they are 32 to 55 and they just They have a daughter who's just starting her period and then they also are in the age group where they just are so tired of like wearing tampons. So they're like they start that's when you start feeling you got fibroids and all types of things and you're like I don't want to insert like these foreign objects into my body, but I used to speak to them all the time So all I used to hear all the time was my daughter my daughter my daughter My daughter used to speak to them like via chat via chat.
[00:33:49] No, no No, so I had a I finally put a chat on the website and they come through and ask questions And you just, you have to listen to what your customers say they tell you, [00:34:00] because everyone has an audience. Everyone has an audience. You just have to listen to what they say. Sometimes it doesn't have to be a chat.
[00:34:06] Sometimes it could be someone just, say if you're at an event and you, you'll, you'll notice like it's the same. Type of person even to this day. They all say the same exact thing when they're mad They say the same exact thing when they're happy They say the same exact thing and that is who your audience is and you have to pay attention to it Some people ignore their audience Like say me I would have ignored him and be like, oh like I'm still gonna just target and do everything compared to a millennial It wasn't my audience.
[00:34:36] I didn't hear that. I just kept hearing my daughter my daughter my daughter My daughter's nine. My daughter's ten. She's going to camp. We're going away. I just paid for this vacation, and she needs these swimwear. Right, right, right. Like, why is my stuff not here? I'm angry. You better get my stuff to me. You start hearing that, and then you start hearing the compassion in it, and you're like, oh, like, okay, like, this is my audience.
[00:34:57] So I need to start listening to what they say, and I figured [00:35:00] that out very quickly. So,
[00:35:02] Victoria Jenn: okay, so, 10 million within two years. That was obviously
[00:35:11] Crystal Etienne: gross. Right? Yeah, that was gross.
[00:35:13] Victoria Jenn: Okay. Yeah. So like, realistically, your manufacturing, shipment, website, I assume now you have people helping you. Like, if you're running a 10 million company, like what are you actually like taking home from
[00:35:26] Crystal Etienne: that?
[00:35:27] Oh, no, we were very profitable at that time. Okay. Yeah. So our gross margins are very good. and I told you I was like, I know business, I was running people's businesses. Like, so everything, I treated everything like corporate, like no one even knew that I was the founder of the company. I did everything corporate.
[00:35:42] Like when it came to negotiation, everything, I would just act like I was a big corporation at that time. Like now we are, but like we're a medium size. But like back then I would just act like I was a big corporation. Like we're not paying that. I'm going to tell my boss. Interesting.
[00:35:58] Victoria Jenn: So you will be on the phone [00:36:00] acting like you
[00:36:00] Crystal Etienne: was late.
[00:36:00] Yes, oh my god, I have so many names. Interesting. Let me speak to Crystal. She is not in. She said no.
[00:36:10] Victoria Jenn: Interesting. Interesting. Ok, so Hubbie starts paying attention after 2
[00:36:15] Crystal Etienne: years. Yeah, I got him to finally, he came on in 2018, in 2018, sold all his
[00:36:21] Victoria Jenn: trucks, sold all his trucks and was like, we in it to win it, baby, let's go.
[00:36:25] now you guys have grown the company to 80 million, right?
[00:36:29] Crystal Etienne: To this day, to this day, it's
[00:36:30] Victoria Jenn: a present day. So let's talk about all the in between, right? How, how was it growing a business with the person you live with, the father of your children, your lover, your friend, all the things. What, what were the pros and what were some of the.
[00:36:49] Crystal Etienne: So there weren't really. And everybody asks us this all the time, but me and him are like, have always been like best friends. Like we don't [00:37:00] argue at all. And we go into everything because we don't argue. Like when we argue, we bicker, like it's not like a, it's like a really okay, but we go into all of it, we discuss it before we go into it.
[00:37:13] So that's why I think that's why we don't argue. So going into the company when I brought him on, because that's why he didn't want to come on, because you hear like the bad stories. He's like, I'm running my own business. His business was doing very well. He had those three, you know, box trucks, 26 footers.
[00:37:28] He had a 26 foot and I think a 32 footers. trucks. And he was good, like with his contracts. So I think that's the reason why he did it. And like I said, he's Caribbean, like I ain't working. No. And he just really soared and me and him sat down and discuss. And I said, you know what? You will run the back. I will run the front.
[00:37:46] So the back meaning fulfillment, he was warehouse, like that was his thing, logistics, transportation. And I said, me and him agreed that no matter what the decision is. Whether I agree or he agrees or [00:38:00] not, we have to shut up and we discuss it and we have the final say on what that is of what we're responsible for.
[00:38:07] And of course, there's been times when, like, he don't like how, like, say I have something I, because customer service is in the front. He'll just be like, walk away, because he doesn't agree. And if something in fulfillment, I don't agree, he'll tell his group of people, because it was like we had, 40, he was managing 40 people at one time.
[00:38:25] And I wouldn't agree with some things too. But I knew like, you know what, it's fine as you just say, like, you know what, it's your decision and that it's, it's always worked. So
[00:38:34] Victoria Jenn: you allowed for autonomy. Like if this is your
[00:38:37] Crystal Etienne: space, this is your space. Yes. And I think if people really go into it, you have to respect.
[00:38:42] Who runs what and even if you don't agree with it because they will learn they will learn there's been things that I don't agree with him He learned his lesson and I'm sure there's things that he probably will say like I told you and then I learned my lesson How did
[00:38:56] Victoria Jenn: you not bring those conversations like back home?
[00:38:59] Like if [00:39:00] you were pissed about something in the business front
[00:39:01] Crystal Etienne: I was never pissed hit him at anything. Okay? Like, yes, I would side eye, like, if I didn't agree with it, but I knew that that's what we agreed to, like, is your decision. So we never brought negat we don't bring negativity. We don't do negativity at all.
[00:39:15] I love that. Dealing with employees is negative. Yeah. But it's like, you just have to stand your ground and understand. It's the same, it's the same way with an employee. You have to know, like, okay, you're the employee. I'm the, say, owner. Let's just say owner. We're never going to see. The same, we're never going to see eye to eye and that's in any business.
[00:39:35] He was running the back, I was running the front. The front and the back ain't never going to agree on everything and you just got to take it for what it is. You're never going to have the same mindset, you're never going to have customer service and fulfillment. I used to tell the, even the people who work in the department, you guys are never going to agree because customer service is dealing with your issue, they're dealing with your problem.
[00:39:56] So [00:40:00] you're Interesting. Okay. If you think of it that way, it always works. Mm hmm. Mm hmm.
[00:40:06] Victoria Jenn: Well, you also have to have a certain level of, like, maturity and respect for one another. Absolutely. And love and all of that jazz. Yes. so, but I think that's, like, super dope and an amazing part of your story of how you've been able to, like, build it with your boo thing.
[00:40:20] Yeah. and I had the pleasure of meeting him and he was absolutely awesome. He was at... This event. He was. It was all ladies. He was the only fella for quite some time, and he was, and it's a winner. He was paying attention. He was listening. He was being helpful, and I had the opportunity to have a quick conversation with him, and I was like, you wasn't bored here?
[00:40:37] He was like, no. Like, I learned so much. He was like, you gotta pay attention. You gotta listen. And I was like, you know what? You should host a seminar for the fellas out here. They is
[00:40:46] Crystal Etienne: lost. Oh, that's a good idea. I told them. Because they learned a little something from him.
[00:40:50] Victoria Jenn: Yes. I was like, you should host a seminar, for real, because we do it for women.
[00:40:54] Yes. Women have these seminars all the time. Like, the fellas need
[00:40:57] Crystal Etienne: that too. That's actually a good idea. Yeah. I don't know, I might have Lisa reach out [00:41:00] to you to put that together.
[00:41:01] Victoria Jenn: Let's go. And I know exactly who to invite. Okay. Very successful men who need that type of mentorship. I don't think there's like places where they can go where they can take off their mask.
[00:41:13] You know, for women it's a little easier. Yeah. For men it takes a little bit more. You know, to kind of bring down their defense and their armor, but I think it becomes easier when they see someone who's actually living what they're preaching. You know what I mean? Not like somebody who's never run a business, somebody who's never made millions of dollars, someone who's never had kids, all that trying to tell them what they should and shouldn't
[00:41:35] Crystal Etienne: do.
[00:41:36] You know, I know, I know. It's, it's so horrible. Yeah.
[00:41:38] Victoria Jenn: Yeah. I'm down. Let me know. Cause the fellas. They need this type of love. Yeah, they need it. They need it. okay. So what were major things that you've learned about yourself, like running this type of shit? Because this is not small. This is like huge to go from working in corporate, making six figures, doing well for yourself.[00:42:00]
[00:42:00] But then doing well for yourself, you know what I'm saying? Like generational wealth, wealth for yourself. what are some major like lessons
[00:42:09] Crystal Etienne: you've learned? So one of the things that I have learned about myself is from when I took the investment. Like in 2019, I was the third largest for a black woman.
[00:42:19] To close a $15 million deal at that time. Wow. And I learned a lot about myself. I learned that I didn't like to be in the spotlight. I learned that I'm better off in the back. I learned that I didn't like headlines and I also learned that I didn't like investors that were not helpful in any type of way.
[00:42:36] So those, those out of all the negative, I would say, and most people would be like, but you got $15 million, you got 15 deal. That was like the worst. And, the, the day after the wire happened, I was like, God, I felt like a pressure. I felt like a pressure because now when you take people's money, it's an investment.
[00:42:58] Like I'm an investor too. [00:43:00] Most people don't. I understood it before I took it though. So I already knew what I was getting into, cause I understand business, but most people don't look at it like business. And after that, I just was like, why did I do that? Like we were completely profitable. Like it's just like, and I was like, okay, you know what, they'll be helpful.
[00:43:17] Cool. You know, they'll they're because most people take investment for money and for help, like to help you grow in scale faster.I think it was more of a roadblock because after you take the investment is so much stuff that they want you to do that.
[00:43:33] You think that you want to do it, but now you start burning cash like a lot of cash. Now you got to hire like a full C suite. And in reality, It may look like you need a C suite at the time, but you really don't. And a C suite is expensive. It's very expensive. A COO could run for like 350, 000. And these are the things that you're telling your investors, that these are the things that they want you to do.
[00:43:57] Because they want you to form. They basically... [00:44:00] It's a pro and a con because they want you to get your shit right, like get this company, you know, in order and let's blow this up so that we can IPO or exit, you know, in 10 years from now, but it's also a pressure and not every CEO is prepared for that. I feel sorry for CEOs that take investment that really don't know the business.
[00:44:21] side of it. So I was lucky to have that business side, like going in from the beginning and really understanding like documents in which you're signing. most people think it's about the money and it's about equity. It's not. It's about the board. I always controlled my board. I had more seats. but even with the more seats, even if I would have won the vote, I still got to explain.
[00:44:39] You still got a fiduciary duty to the company. Like you and the company and your board seat is Three different things, and that is what, I knew it going in, but actually dealing with it, I was like, you know what, I was fine before this, like I didn't have to grow so fast, I think it was more [00:45:00] stagnant, I probably, if I didn't take the investment, probably could have been at like 200 million dollars at this point.
[00:45:06] Really? Absolutely. It takes your time. Interesting. It takes, it, it's such unnecessary time to me. So have, and that's just my experience. Some people can say, cause everybody's different on what they like. I just, I didn't get stagnant, like from where I was and my personality. Because like I said, I can, I can.
[00:45:26] Do anything, especially with my husband by my side. Oh, we could do anything. like I said, I can fall to the bottom. And I already know a year or two from now, you're going to see me right back at the top. And some people don't know how to do that. So that was one thing that, I think was a surprise.
[00:45:40] And even when I tell people, they get shocked, like, really? Like I said, but you had a 15 million deal. And I'm like, no, but It's not what you think. Mm.
[00:45:50] Victoria Jenn: I feel like a lot of founders struggle with this, especially in this time and this era of the glamorization of like the headline. An [00:46:00] official, yeah, the headline, the press Don't believe the headline.
[00:46:02] The idea of having this huge team and having an executive suite and Ula la. so special, but not really understanding the magnitude, yeah, all of that exactly accountable for all of that. But also like, now that you've entered that level, right, because there's levels, right? You can call it the major leagues, you can call it whatever you want.
[00:46:26] it's all, you know, perspective at that point, but like, when you make that decision, To take it to the next level where now you're taking in outside investment. you are no longer really the captain of your ship. I mean, you are,
[00:46:44] Crystal Etienne: yes. Yes. I was because I controlled the board seats. Right. But most people aren't after they do it.
[00:46:50] Right.
[00:46:51] Victoria Jenn: And they also are not aware of, as you said, like the business component of what they're actually giving away to bring in this [00:47:00] money. Yes. Like it sounds sexy. It's a business deal. To bring in 15 million. Yeah. But there's so many strings attached to that and.
[00:47:06] Crystal Etienne: It's a complicated business deal. Yeah.
[00:47:08] Yeah. Totally. And it's not said like that. Right. Only thing you usually see is the headlines. Oh, this person raised. Right. 25 million at, I don't know, 100 million valuation and people are like, Oh, they have a hundred million dollar company. No, they just got 25 million and that's what the investors just determined that it's going to be worth and you need to get it to that so that you can raise more money, get diluted and the whole thing is just a race that you have to like really bust your behind.
[00:47:38] Do not believe what you see. Don't believe the hype.
[00:47:40] Victoria Jenn: No. Yeah. But this is what I mean. Like people are chasing like those headlines. And thinking like, wow, they made it. Like, oh my God, they, you know, you see it in the news all the time. 100 million here, 500 million here, valued at 2. 5
[00:47:54] Crystal Etienne: billion here. And that's just a
[00:47:56] Victoria Jenn: value.
[00:47:56] And right. But, but this is the thing. People see that and they think that [00:48:00] that is success. Like that's the goal. Like we
[00:48:02] Crystal Etienne: got to go and get this VC money. When most of those people are like under there. Comforter. Like, Oh my God, I got this board meeting again. Like sometimes you just want to lay out and you don't want to, but you have to answer when you have people's money.
[00:48:15] And that was why me and my investors, like it was fine. Like the business transaction. Cause I understood that side of it, but most people, they really don't. They think it's their mama giving the money and it's not, it's a business deal and a complicated one. Like I said. Is your,
[00:48:30] Victoria Jenn: are your investors still
[00:48:30] Crystal Etienne: involved to this day or, or?
[00:48:32] So, [00:49:00] [00:50:00]
[00:50:10] /
[00:50:10] this year I actually brought back all my shares from my main investor. I still have, small investors, but like the main investors, I can't explain it. Like it's just a main investor. They are no longer, involved. I brought all my shares back. Do you feel like a relief?
[00:50:26] Victoria Jenn: So I'm pretty sure as a woman and as a black woman,
[00:50:32] Crystal Etienne: They tried you.
[00:50:33] Oh. Well, first of all, as a woman, whether you are,Latina or black woman, they think we're stupid. They really think we're stupid. And honestly, for the last couple of years, I just, from the day that I launched, I just played stupid. Like you would have never known. Like, it's just. Like I look at my, I always looked at my company like a business also, like that's why I never did the headlines.
[00:50:57] Like I, like I said, I tried it in 2019, like [00:51:00] when I raised the thing and I just didn't like it. I never based it around me, like the black woman that has this business, you know, the black woman who did this, the first black woman, the third black woman. I hate those headlines. It's just like. Just focus on the comment.
[00:51:15] How about you just focus on my period apparel? Just focus on that. Yes, and and that's what it is. But they do they do they think they think we're stupid And I don't know if the stupid is the right word, but they think that they are superior Not superior. They think that they are saving the day. Like they think that they're going to rescue us.
[00:51:35] Like we all need to be rescued. No, I don't need to be rescued. Like I'm actually smarter than you and I'm just going to sit back and I'm going to listen to you so that I know how to make my next move. So what
[00:51:47] Victoria Jenn: are some examples of like when you playing dumb played to
[00:51:50] Crystal Etienne: your advantage? Oh, absolutely. I have plenty of those.
[00:51:56] So playing dumb. Let me see. I got plenty of [00:52:00] those, some I might not want to say we want the exclusives
[00:52:03] Victoria Jenn: crystal. Yeah. Okay.
[00:52:05] Crystal Etienne: So, okay. So I'll give one for playing dumb with them. Investors you have to treat them like they're very, very smart. Like Oh, like how they talk to you and things like that. And you just got to listen.
[00:52:15] And I had someone talking about male investors, male and female. Okay. Yeah. Male. And to be honest with you, I've had some of my worst, like experiences with black Wow. Women investors, like the worst, honestly, and most people would not want to say that, but I'm, you know, I'm very truthful, so the worst. If I was to put them all in a line.
[00:52:39] so it's, it's all, it's just investors in general and then what I've experienced with say, like, let's say like a white male or a white woman for us as a black woman or a Latina woman, they literally always think it's not the word superior. It really is like they [00:53:00] think that they are going to save the day for you, like solve the problem.
[00:53:04] and it's like,I already know that, so sometimes you just gotta let them talk. Get through it and then you just do what you have to do and then I think it kind of pisses them off sometimes because it's like, oh, wait, like, yeah, no, I didn't need you to tell me that. Like I already did that. Like I was not looking for the next step after that.
[00:53:25] So it has happened a lot. And I know a lot of people, especially like black women, because I deal with a lot of black women with companies that have the same experience. I don't know what it is. Maybe the word is superior, but I don't think that they felt like they were like, that even all investors think they better, like they all in a competition, but they know that they are like, they're not even like the main person.
[00:53:45] It's your LPs. Like you're, you're, you have LP money. Like it's not even your own money. so I do think they have like that, that tech bro attitude, but it's all facade and it's all fake. I mean, if you know your shit, you just know your [00:54:00] shit. And I always knew that I just knew my shit. And if it's something I didn't know, I go research it.
[00:54:05] I just go find it out. So
[00:54:07] Victoria Jenn: when, okay, so one example is making them feel like they're the smartest person
[00:54:13] Crystal Etienne: in the room. Yes. Okay. Someone told me that a long time ago to do that. And after he told me that, it worked. How
[00:54:21] Victoria Jenn: do you go about that? You just like nodding and asking questions like you don't know the
[00:54:25] Crystal Etienne: answer.
[00:54:27] Well, they don't, they don't ask you anything. They tell you. Oh, okay. Yeah. So you're just listening. Yeah. Like, okay. And you're just like, wow. Right. And sometimes it'd be like the most basic dumbest stuff that you probably learned in third grade. You're like,
[00:54:40] Victoria Jenn: two plus two is four. No, you don't say. Really? No.
[00:54:44] Crystal Etienne: Okay. Yes. Those type of things. Interesting. Hmm. Okay. Or if they think they're being helpful, it's because, you just like, okay, like, thank you. But it's not even like what I really needed to help with. And they really don't know it because they're [00:55:00] not running your company with you. Like, you know, your day to day, everyone knows whoever runs a company.
[00:55:05] And if you, especially if you're doing it on a full time basis. You know, your day to day, no one really knows except the people who are working there, like your employees and yourself and the person who is the CEO and the owner is the only person who really knows what goes down. Investors just assume because they go off data.
[00:55:25] But maybe that data doesn't apply to my company. Maybe that data doesn't apply to me. That's why people make assumptions about like black and Latino woman women because they just. Going off of data, but no, that is not the case. I'm a prime example of that. Like, every time, like, especially when I first launched, everyone thought that I had, like, this, rags to riches story.
[00:55:44] And I'm like, no, I grew up in Flushing. Like, I grew up in a co op. Like, my mother took me on vacation. My mother I grew up in a With my mother in my father, let's start there. Yes, let's start there. But they make these assumptions and I grew up very privileged. Like after I [00:56:00] realized when I was older, like I woke up on Christmas with like a whole full room of things.
[00:56:04] Like, no, I wasn't, you know, at the, the soup room, right. But because I was black, and a black woman, and because I had two kids, like they just. Assume that I had a rags, I don't, I have no rags to riches story. Like I don't, but they just assume that you do. So let me
[00:56:24] Victoria Jenn: circle back to you. Making the decision to not be plastered around as a black woman who has an 80 million company, etc.
[00:56:34] Because of these statistics and these stereotypes that are put on women of color, don't you think it's important for people to know, yes, a black woman did
[00:56:43] Crystal Etienne: this? So yeah, so I do things like this. When you ask me, like I said, I do. I stopped it in 2019. I stopped doing, talks because I felt like when I first started saying, okay, I'm gonna go out.
[00:56:54] Cause in 2019, I decided, okay, you know what, exactly what you said. I need to show people like you can [00:57:00] bootstrap your business. You don't have to take anyone's crap. And I started doing, but I started getting, like say if I got off a stage and there'd be like 20, 30 people like there to ask me questions.
[00:57:10] And they would ask me, I don't want to call them stupid questions, but they would be stupid. Um,
[00:57:14] Victoria Jenn: Maybe they was playing stupid.
[00:57:16] Crystal Etienne: No, they weren't. You know when you get off the stage, someone's there to ask you a question. And I don't want to call it a stupid question because they really just don't know. So that's why I don't really want to call it a stupid question.
[00:57:27] But I felt like I was doing them a disservice. Because you're seeing me on the stage, I'm telling you what I did, and I've seen those headlines, and it's not the truth. So I used to get up on a stage. Anyone who's ever seen me speak, like, on stage, they can tell you. I'd be like, when everybody else is on the stage, and they're like, Oh my God, yes, I did this.
[00:57:45] I'd be like, No, this is hard as shit. Like, I can tell you right now. Like this, my house is big, and it is hard as shit to maintain.
[00:57:52] Victoria Jenn: Girl, you know, I was thinking about that when I was in your house, I was like, Oh my God, she must have a gardener, she must have like, a manicurist going on, like, oh, so
[00:57:58] Crystal Etienne: that's not gonna be enough.
[00:57:59] [00:58:00] I have a landscaper, but most people even come at our house, me and my husband's house, and think that we have a housekeeper, we don't, we actually clean our own house. What? Yeah, it's a big house and there's a lot to clean, but we do. Oh my goodness. Those are the things that I'm saying, like people only see, so say someone have seen that I've owned several mansions and be like, Oh my God, like, this is like, great, but it's like, do you know, like what it takes to maintain that?
[00:58:23] Do you know, like, if you see water in your boiler, like you got to get that corrected. So just imagine on a small house compared to a big house, imagine my landscaper, like I have five acres, like. That's a little different from my first house when I had, you know, 60 by 100, it's a, it's much different. And I think that's, I felt like I was doing black women a disservice by sitting up there.
[00:58:48] the way those panels, that's why I hate conferences, the way that they are. Set up is like they make you pay for the conference to come in and see, say me, right? Or whoever your favorite [00:59:00] celebrity is and they're sitting up there telling that story and you, and you're there like with such like, Oh my God, I want to do it.
[00:59:06] And then you leave a conference and do you remember anything from the conference? Like it's not that. So I, I realized that instead of me doing that, when I get a moment and a chance, I'm going to really, really bring people together to see, which led into the, the brunches and things that I was doing and my investment firm.
[00:59:26] But the headlines, I hate, I really hate. And I know that they're needed. They're absolutely needed. Like that's what makes the world go around. That's what keeps people energized. But it's like, I just want people to really know, like look beyond. The headline, when you hear that someone raised 30 million and at its, you know, it's not going into their personal bank account.
[00:59:47] Like what comes with that 30 million? Like what comes with it? Right. Like, do you, are you prepared to deal with, with what comes with that 30 million? The person who took it, maybe. Like I said, when I took [01:00:00] my 15 million deal, I knew what I was getting into, but there are some people who would have probably went and go shot their self.
[01:00:05] Like my investors were, you know, out of the country and it's a lot. Like are you willing to deal with that? Even people like with my house, like I tell you, me and my husband tell them all the time, we don't lie. We be like our taxes is 98, 000. Are you willing to pay that every month? You know, our landscape bill is 100, 000 per year.
[01:00:24] Are you willing to deal with that? Right. When something, when a tree falls, you saw how many trees I have, when a tree falls, are you okay with dealing with that headache? anything I do, I'm always prepared for like, what's going to come with it because not everything comes with good.
[01:00:39] Yeah, it just doesn't. There's always a con to it. And are you willing to deal with that con? But no one ever looks at they just look at the beauty and everything and say, Oh, I want that. Oh, my God. I just wish I had that. But are you willing to deal with having it? Because I'm happy about it. But I also know that I'm willing to deal with.
[01:00:59] When there's an [01:01:00] error, when there's a mistake, when like what my investor is like, one day I might just not like you, like, am I willing to deal with what it's going to take because I don't like you. Right. And most people don't. So don't deal with that. So I hate headlines. And I just, I just felt like I was doing people a disservice and I just wanted to focus on my company because it was about the product.
[01:01:23] It wasn't really about me. And I just, I just hate the, I hate always like the first black, the first Latina, like can I just be like. The person who's just great. Yeah. People are great. Like, people really are great. Like, why do we have to worry about the color or whatever with it? Hmm. Interesting.
[01:01:41] Victoria Jenn: Interesting. I think it's important, but I hear your point and I understand your point. but just given, I think the current state of affairs, those headlines. I think need to be replayed over and over and over again so that people don't forget because there's a [01:02:00] short attention span and also people have selective memory.
[01:02:03] And they think like this has never been done before or your people have never been able to achieve such a thing or your people are poor. You know what I mean? Like. I think that it's important for them to, with all the other propaganda that's going on in the world, it's important for those facts to be
[01:02:21] Crystal Etienne: plastered everywhere, but
[01:02:25] Victoria Jenn: I hear you and, and obviously
[01:02:28] Crystal Etienne: it's worked in your favor.
[01:02:29] You
[01:02:30] Victoria Jenn: know, you built this amazing company, and that's why we're so grateful to have you here. I'm begging on food because I know you don't normally do these things, but you have so much gems to drop. so, okay, I want to go into talk that talk segment and I want to put a little twist on it because, you know, something taboo in the culture is like when you get money, you're like.
[01:02:49] stuck up or you can't relate anymore, but I want to hear from you when you started coming across, you know, that type of money, 10 million, two [01:03:00] years, you know, then you get in the headlines. Now people in your circle are seeing what's happening. How did your relationships get impacted? Like your personal relationships get impacted once you became, this
[01:03:11] Crystal Etienne: multimillionaire mogul.
[01:03:13] Oh my God. So Like I said, people shouldn't believe the headline, but they do. It's the same thing as when you see like a real celebrity, like people just assume things and they're just ignorant and they don't know. I'll give you a good example, actually, of something that happened to me. I got a 15 million deal.
[01:03:35] Right. And then someone in my family was going around saying, like, the feds are going to come and get me. Oh, no, because they don't understand because they don't understand like how investment works. It's like so funny. And I found this. I just think it's funny. I think it's ignorant. but they just don't understand like how investment works.
[01:03:51] Like investors, you don't have to pay them back. Like they giving you it to, you know, to grow your company, to pay yourself, you know, to pay [01:04:00] payroll and things like that. Right. And They're giving you the money to grow your company like you don't have to give that back like this. It's no feds involved I mean the SEC is Like what a board and everything else.
[01:04:13] So it's just thing. I think it's just the ignorance of people But I've like maybe like three years ago, maybe two three years ago I just was like I can't I just can't do ignorance anymore. I used to be able to do it And trust me, I love Ghetto. Ignorant people. . There's a time and a place. There's a time and a place, because I could be sometimes too , but there's a certain, there's a certain level of it too.
[01:04:43] Right, right, right. Like where you just shouldn't talk. What you don't know. Mm-Hmm. and giving out. I, I don't like people who give out false information. Mm-Hmm. . Especially when you're just assuming, like do some research and then you'll see like how things really are. So people like that would see. Like a few years ago [01:05:00] that just see like, okay, I did a 15 million deal.
[01:05:03] they just assume because you have it, you should give them things. And it's like, no one should give anyone anything like this is like sweat and tears. Like I just didn't get, you know, my, it's not even mine. Like my company didn't just get wired money. Like I, I. Bust my ass every single day from morning to night.
[01:05:22] I used to, sometimes my employees used to tell us, like me and my husband, like, y'all need to go home. Like, we would be the first one there at like seven o'clock in the morning and we leave one o'clock at night. Now we don't, like once we built our team up and things like that. But, for years, like that, we did that.
[01:05:37] Like the toilet paper, like for our employees to wipe their butt. Like. We brought that most people don't see those things and they just assume because you have it you should give it to them and I don't think that anybody should expect anything from anyone at all, especially for people who like really like built something and made their self self made is like you can do the same [01:06:00] thing to like we all really honestly can do it like just research and I think most people just give up.
[01:06:07] Or they think it should be fast. I'm not a give up person, but some people feel like you should just give it to them. I don't, I don't know where it comes from because I never was like that. So it's not like I'm a reformed, like, I think you should give it to me because you notice some people like that too.
[01:06:21] It's like, you used to feel like, oh, I should get it. And then now you become like the billionaire and you like, wait a minute, I can't get it. I'm not that reformed person. I'm not. I'm not. I've always worked, like my mother and my father always, always instilled in me and my sisters, like work for what you want, just work hard to get it.
[01:06:40] And it will come. Like, if you really take your time, like, I know it's so cliche to say work hard to get it, but work hard means so many things. Like you really have to put your mind to it. Like we could all. Be anything. They were all born the same. So
[01:06:56] Victoria Jenn: let's end this with some advice that you have for [01:07:00] that founder who is like put in sweat equity, bust in their ass working, and they are just tired and they're on the brink of giving up.
[01:07:11] Crystal Etienne: What would you say to them? Keep going. Like, honestly, just keep going and take the risk. I think a lot of founders who fail, That didn't get to a certain level, like that is just like start, say you started a company last year and you fail and you just be like, you know, I'm gonna do it. I think you really just gave up.
[01:07:26] I think you didn't do, I think you didn't take the risk. Everything, every reward comes with a risk. It does. Even if you played a lottery, you risking that dollar, that 5 that you may need, but the risk is and the money I'm losing. That I may actually win, you know, this mega million. And then you regret it afterward and you don't think about it.
[01:07:47] But every, everything is a risk. So what did you
[01:07:50] Victoria Jenn: do specifically to stick it out? I
[01:07:53] Crystal Etienne: took a risk. You just say every day, I'm, I'm going to rest. Yeah, I was tired. Like I'm telling you, I used to go around. I used to be in my car all day [01:08:00] long and there was days I told you I would sit and I would meditate like before I used to get on that belt.
[01:08:04] And some people would be like, you know, I'm not doing this no more because I'm not making enough money from it. But I was like, you know what, I'm going to keep going. I'm just going to keep doing more research because. Other people are doing it. Like I see other companies that are succeeding. So I'm going to keep doing it and I'm going to figure it out.
[01:08:21] Just like how, when you asked me in the beginning, I literally figured out marketing, like I figured out like how to do an audience, like there's things now that I didn't know. At all back then. And I honestly, I just figured it out. Like when one thing didn't work, I was like, okay, like let me, let me look into this and see if this is Mm-Hmm.
[01:08:39] like everyone really honestly can be successful. And I'm lazy sometimes. Like I've gotten very lazy . Like I don't wanna do it no more. Like I just don't. Mm-Hmm. , I know that for myself, but some people are not honest with their self. Mm-Hmm. .
[01:08:51] Victoria Jenn: And you've also put in the work to get to this place where you're like, I don't want to do
[01:08:54] Crystal Etienne: it no more.
[01:08:54] Yes. And I can go further. I just don't. Yeah. Yeah. I'm tired. And it's okay to say, and [01:09:00] that's okay also to say, like, I am fine and I am content because I don't want the energy or the headache no more. That's why we were celebrating the soft life. Mm hmm. We sure were. You can't have the soft life and like want to just like keep going.
[01:09:13] You just, you just can't. Right.
[01:09:16] Victoria Jenn: So let the people know where they can find more about your fund, the company,
[01:09:20] Crystal Etienne: all that jazz. Yeah. So my Instagram is IamCrystalEtienne. Anyone can DM me. My investment firm. I believe it's in my profile, where you can just click that link, but if you don't have Instagram, like I didn't two years ago, you can go to, cageandco.
[01:09:37] com and cage is C A J E. And co. com and then my company is ruby love. com. Okay.
[01:09:44] Victoria Jenn: Well, thank you so much crystal. Thank you dropping the gems for being you for welcoming me into your home. You're coming back. Oh, girl, send the invitation. I am there. Okay. I am there. but no, I really appreciate you, sharing this.
[01:09:59] Your [01:10:00] thought leadership with us all and for being a black woman who is doing the damn thing. Yes. Leading by example and, taking the risk every day because if you do it, it gives other women and men permission to do the same. So thank you so
[01:10:15] Crystal Etienne: much. Absolutely. Thank you for having me.
[01:10:17] Victoria Jenn: My pleasure. Thanks for listening to today's episode. Don't forget to make sure and leave a review. This is super important because this is how we're measured on the different audio platforms. So if you want to hear more of Banking en Cultura, if you were vibing, if you had takeaways, if you just enjoyed this episode, please make sure to leave a review.
[01:10:52] Victoria: I appreciate you so much. Until next time.